The present invention relates in general to biosensors. More specifically, the present invention relates to fabrication methodologies and resulting structures for on-chip biosensors having nanometer scale glass-like carbon electrodes and improved adhesive and/or physical coupling to the chip substrate.
Electrochemistry studies the relationship between electricity and identifiable chemical or biochemical changes. For example, an ionic species of interest in a solution can be identified and measured by analyzing electric charges that move between biosensors in the solution and the various ionic species in the solution. A biosensor can be defined as an analytical device that converts a biological or bio/chemical response to an electric signal. An example biosensor configuration uses a compact analytical device such as an electrode to generate a measurable electrical parameter (e.g., current) based at least in part on detecting and/or measuring one or more analytes. The electrode may or may not incorporate a biological or biologically derived recognition element to enhance and/or target the electrode's detection sensitivity. Glass-like carbon, which is often referred to as glassy carbon or vitreous carbon, is considered an optimal material for forming the electrodes used in biosensors.